Global climate strike
The Global Climate Strike has been called for Friday 20 Sep. Information for employers and employees on how best to manage strike participation can be found
The Global Climate Strike has been called for Friday 20 Sep. Information for employers and employees on how best to manage strike participation can be found
A group of leading Australian architects have recently joined their international peers to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency. The 11-point declaration acknowledges the twin crises of climate breakdown and
The Living Design Series emphasises sustainable and adaptable design solutions, showcasing building and their spaces as dynamic entities that serve the needs of users. It initiates dialogue on how design
Wilya Janta is an Aboriginal-led organisation dedicated to bringing culturally safe and climate-appropriate housing to remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. Established in 2023 by Warumungu Elders, the organisation centers Aboriginal voices in housing design and creates homes that listen to Country and to the people who have cared for it for over 60,000 years. The aim is to produce homes that are safe, functional, and culturally empowering.
The first Wilya Janta home was developed over two years in collaboration with a Warumungu family. The design was guided by cultural protocols, environmental conditions, and the financial and logistical challenges of remote construction. Modular building methods were adopted, with transport limitations directly shaping the home’s footprint. Within this framework, the layout reflects cultural priorities.
The house features deep verandahs that provide shade, enable outdoor living, and accommodate extended family during ceremonies or community events. These verandahs also support cultural avoidance practices by allowing people to move freely. Bedrooms are oriented east-west in line with Warumungu sleeping traditions, while two living rooms provide space for different kinship groups. Multiple bathrooms, accessible both inside and outside, offer privacy and flexibility for visitors. Universal access is built in, with ramps, wide doors and accessible bathroom allowing elders to age on Country.
The design responds to climate with breezeways, cross-ventilation, and orientation to capture cooling winds. Mudbrick walls made from anthill and spinifex provide thermal mass and improve comfort within the lightweight structure. Outdoor areas include a bough shed, vegetable garden, pond, and grassed play spaces for children. An outdoor kitchen with an open fire forms the communal heart of the home, celebrating traditional cooking and cultural practice, while mudbrick windbreaks protect these outdoor spaces from prevailing winds.
The Wilya Janta Explain Home sets out a new model for Aboriginal housing. It is culturally grounded, environmentally responsive, and adaptable to contemporary life. It shows how design can sustain cultural identity while delivering affordable and scalable housing solutions for Central Australia.
The Retail Store and Offices in Lockhart River is a built project in Far North Queensland. It serves as a commercial space to a remote Aboriginal community with facilities that meet their needs. The design of the space works with Country, taking into consideration the culture, climate and landscape of the area.
The Adapting landscapes for Indigenous housing paper draws on data from a qualitative climate change study with Australian Aboriginal people in the remote areas of Queensland and regional studies to explore ways that yards can enhance thermal performance around conventional housing. The paper explores how living spaces outside of the house continue to be overlooked and under-utilised despite evidence of appropriate housing designs. Further, Aboriginal people have modified their behaviour and made changes to their external living environments, often without sufficient resources, to achieve social and cultural continuity as well as energy efficiency.
The Australian Institute of Architects South Australia Chapter is calling on all parties contesting the 2026 South Australian State Election to ensure housing reform prioritises both supply and quality. “With
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